Fergus County argus., 1887-09-15
DEATH OVER 4 MINs.
r,,.. u,.uuse Over the Ownership Of the
Florence Mine at Maiden, Cul"i"ases
tm the Death Of Dennis O'Brie".

The shooting ARRAY which occurred last ,
Saturday, aud which resulted in the death
of Dennis O'Brien. was, owing To the iaet
that the principals are old-timers and wen
known throughought this country ,he
general tonic of conversation for the past
few days.
| Tn. "Florcnee" mine. over which the
shooting took place. is located on 'r!stai
mountain. ON the Ft. Masinn'- military
,aservatiou. and was claimed by both
u,rti.s. W. II. burgess and Murray No Br'en
Las, week Mr. Mr. Burgess WAS informed
bv parties that they had leased the prop
.r,y from Murray & Brien aud that they
intended to commence work On II ~ once
vhe,eupou Mr. Burgess told them that he
owned the mine and TINT ~ shouhu ,'"' pe
worked without his permiss,on na! OF
two afierward Ed. Mc''rath. one %, ~,
. lessees went up to work ana was "iaere.
off bv Mr. burgess, Who held possession oi
the property ,,t
saturday morning. at about Soelock'
while Harry Johnson ana i,as Stevens
wcr, al work ON the dump for burgess they
= we're approached by bl'rlen ana ah",hsr
man both armed. and were ordered 10
~at osi the ground D., Oi;rien. johnson
, ..iJ that he was working for Burgess and
/. vuuld not leave until told to do 40 by ine
ittter and added. III YOU N'rH " 's''"
Enrress II call him out, but % l'rien s,"
= mo he'll come out after a while. - Bf ei
a. then repeated his order Tor them 70 iehNe'
saving: You had better get oil tor you
are 'coppered' right now and upon i"ihs
n asked bv johnson what he meant. pointed
:, mn tbe hin ,.a man partially hidden be
hind "a bull pine with Il gun III nus f'"huS.
johnson then lett and Wen, 10 'hr ~"
# -ephinc' claim. After crossing when hc
A, looked around aud saw tive more afhle',
' men near the "Florence. lie then refused
to 90 further. o'Brien then came np I"
~ wherr.Iohnsou was and asked hun !" ie'Ne
tn. hills. saving that he would give h'in
ANYTHING that was reiisoiiiibie u ne """i'
leave and not witness what would TAX
mr. place there that day: b"' '"""e"n ~
rcfus, Il, saying: - l'rlen, ! Sc 'h'ou|''
u your game and don intend ,""a'e ,''"'
man OBrgeSs) alone here. Nv" or 'hf'r
l,s Others Of the % l'r.n party 'h"h '''"''
. when the latter leit. accoiipahhd u! '"'
oi his men. After TIME tne par!
rated, taking various POSITIONS "h '"'
hin. when johnson, watching his chance;
ny made a run and got 10 the Florence 'nnnei
- aud got behind pile of ia!g'ns AN" i'hai'H
succcc,lei in cetti"' !" bnrs'ss "h"'h Nv
informed of what had occurred
Z" Ti,y RENAME ~,.rr'uiii"i hh'h ""'''
ng noon when the report a. = gun Wa h'afi'
nd aud Johnson. who nas at SON" a's' ar
=. FROM burgess asked h m II he hrard sii"'
and wa tod THAI ne ha".
q. W. Cooke, WHO was aiH'' ~ Nv '''i.''
ms of Burt,~s. lad b en- sent To town IN u
:, morning after provisinn Tor camp anu " H,'
the an III. way back VA, met 10y oi'rien. nh'
cen PUSHED the provisions oil of ils sh'"'he
ed and toll him =" turn back '""@1 ~ "'r
returned It. Maiden am. r"p'fl"i me N'a
at aliair~ at the niiu.. when j. u. ~" man
an Inhn>un'> partner. went uf with sh'
nt sun. hui l.'urc reaching the iiih' VIZ w
" Ul'li"n atd Two oiii"r MN VA" NV.
gu" Ed Mct;raih and William slower. cover
any tim with tu"ir guns. Al'er sf'''l;' Wv
ten MAS inio<-ihic f"r HIM !" ger J." t''' VI =
he fingered near Tor som" lh" "''' Su'
d,ilk he heard shot hf"d an 'he' III
re- that OI'ricn had 'ailen.
hey Aier th' -h""iins h"'fa'n h'r'eh ~ ~, ,
hey tpWn where IA horse wa, pro "'''' avn ~ ~
post s.ir;'can sent tor and "l' ~ our -
zeii- htaiing that liti CESS was surF"Hhr'
hieh ty armed mcii sent Ia ne post "I"li M
ely. for troops, and upon the aT'Na' "i III"
Matters Aifh de.a' hinent "f iieh' iu't'
day Tunn examination It wa founl thi
Fd. @ i;r III had bcen shot by "a illi' nu'',t
,,, having rn'er'h his ieif arm Amy tNc ~
"a, ahd thr,u-h his chest, hr"iN'N x : u"
w" hi glt lf, wh"i" II - B'''' .,..,,,
l're- lt,ath. Owing tn ia" nhii r. 81. ne ""''''
day. Ms al .ost in-iai'tait'oH Ia" ie 'i''
HsIe QUIT hrfr ann c',' -